I think about my daughter
awake at 3am, crying silently
over some boy who just
broke her heart.

I think about my daughter
who, with shaky hands,
comes to me sobbing,
begging me to love her
even if she falls in love
with another girl.

I think about my daughter
feeling like she's alone.
she doesn't talk to me
because maybe I'm
stuck late at work or
maybe I'm tired after
such a long day, but
for whatever reason,
I'm not there.

I think about my daughter
pulling up her sleeves
as she walks by me.
maybe I notice, but
I don't say anything.

maybe I just don't
know what to say.
or maybe I don't notice.

I think about my daughter
and how she's going to be
stuck raising her siblings
if I have any more children.

she'll be raising my children,
who she didn't choose to have,
because I'm not there.

she'll be tired and sad,
living her life the same
way that her siblings did
when she was young.



I think about my daughter,
who might exist one day,
growing up how I did
and feeling how I felt.

I think about my daughter
and I promise her that
she will never be alone.
I promise her that
I will always be there.

I promise myself that
one day, if I bring a
daughter into this world,
I will always be there.



I will break this cycle.
I will show her that
history doesn't always
have to repeat itself.

I will love my daughter
and she will know that I do.
she will never feel unloved.

I will be the mother
that I never got to have.

I -

I am burying the hatchet in my mind, taking the hate in my heart and wrapping the wound tight. The pain is carefully placed in a cedar box where it is accompanied by crystals and incense.

I will put our pain in there and plant it into the earth to heal.It may take years or decades, but the seeds of our pain will become the roots and leaves of a new life. Let the sun fill each cell, photosynthesize our exhales into our next breath.

Let them grow into a forest of love.
Let them turn into a habitat or an ecosystem
Let our wounds heal with time and time alone

- II -

Soft skin of cocoa and shea butter, not a blemish nor battle scar
Smoothed over like pebbles in the sand, the broken shards of glass become jewels among the sediment and shells.

Waves come and they go.

The darkest wounds become soft and unnoticeable
I pray for the day when our pain could feed a hundred people

I yearn for laughs and hugs and kisses from those who we led astray
But for now we sit on the porch, just us, and light up for ourselves.
The smoke fills our lungs briefly anticipated by our exhale. The ash drops to the ground or swept by the wind, caressing our days away.

Waiting for our love to shine anew
One day our love will be brand new

- III -

Someday soon, maybe. Hopefully it's not too far away.

Refusal of tragedy
Wishing for levity
The weight of gravity
And the merry break of morning
Dew drops on springtime buds
we could be the brush and the forest
Bristle and ***, laughter and tears
Pain and ecstasy coincide the swirling cavity of my mind
Dreams show alternate planes, could this be real; simple and plain.

- IV -

A shooting star darts across the night sky
We all make separate wishes in our minds
We all have our own peace of mind

I once knew a girl
Who would hold my hand
In the summer breeze

I once knew a girl
Who always did
Whatever the hell she pleased

I once knew a girl
Who would hold her head high
And look with longing
At the bright blue, summer sky

I once knew a girl
Who said she'd never grow old
But winter winds can be so very cold

But summer is over
And the skies aren't as blue
And all I am left with
Are memories of you

I once knew a young lady
Who tried to stay young
Who would sell her soul
If it would mean more summers of fun

I once knew a young lady
Who smiled the whole day through
It was so contagious
That the smile would spread to you

But summer is over
And the skies aren't as blue
And all I am left with
Are memories of you

I once knew a woman
Who held me tight
And whispered her love songs
In the coldest of nights

I once knew a woman
Who smiled at you
And told you of stories
From a childhood she knew

But summer is over
And the skies aren't as blue
And all I am left with
Are memories of you

I once knew an old lady
Who was kind and who cared
And I will always remember
All the love that she shared

I once knew an angel
Who came to me at last
And now there's no need for winter
We have all the summers of the past

And winter is over
And the skies are so blue
And all you are left with
Is us watching over you

And I know a girl
Who I watch over with pride
And even when shes lonely
She has us by her side

I know a girl
Who is strong and brave
And who I sometimes wish
Would be better behaved

I know a girl
Who will someday grow old
And will tell another
All the stories we told

I know a girl
Who laughs and who cries
And waves back those who love her
Up in the summer skies

Venus wiped Saturn's
Tears, told her it will be fine
Jupiter called Earth
And Mercury to dinner.
A comet humbly
Passed to warm the hearts of all
The sun slept with calm
Orion. Who would have known
That the stars would join tonight?

They don't need the latest technologies or toys

They need their parents' undivided attention
They need moments of uncontrollable laughter over something silly
They need to feel safe despite the chaos happening outside

They need beautiful memories with their family not with their devices